Instead of writing profound and wonderful reviews of books I posted myspace bulletins all evening at the part-time job. Since I spent so much time on them, I thought I would share them with you.
Survey #1
Who were you with last night around 9:00pm?
On a grassy knoll
Where is your sister right now?
Ummm….Colorado or India. It's hard to keep track.
What is one thing you would love to happen tomorrow?
For a knight in shining armor to swoop down and rescue me from the evil dentist.
Is your phone a flip, slide or neither?
It is actually a super secret spy phone imbedded in my arm
Do you bite your fingernails?
Not unless I am REALLY stressed out. Something that you never want to see. Trust me.
Do you like Mexican food?
Absolutely.
Did anyone see you kiss the last person you kissed?
Yes. I try to gather a large audience for these moments in life.
Do you watch a lot of TV?
TV is the opiate of the masses.
Are you hungry?
No. I had a yummy yogurt and carrot dinner in the car on the way to the part-time job. And yes, before you ask, I AM living the life.
Do you like your mom?
She's ok. I think I will keep her.
Are you tan?
Nope. Pasty white.
Do you have unlimited texting?
Super secret spy phones come with all the options.
Where were you at 9pm Sunday night?
What is this obsession with 9 pm? You got the wrong man, I tell you. I'm innocent. You'll never pin it on me.
What happened at 10:00 am today?
A stranger handed me a mysterious package with instructions to deliver it to the Russian or I would die a horrible death.
Have you kissed a boy in the last three days?
You all are just full of noisy questions today, aren't you?
How many hours did you sleep last night?
42 minutes.
What was the last text message you received?
From XO wanting to "entertain" me.
Does anyone call you babe?
Not if they want to live a full and happy life with all their parts intact.
What was the highlight of this week?
Well, the Russian was pretty cool.
Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
I took the world in a love embrace.
What was the last reason you went to the Doctor for?
To get a thorn out of my finger.
Seriously!
Do you have any birth marks?
Yes. I have the mark of "The Chosen One". All bow down and worship me. Ummm…. now people!
Who will you see the most this weekend besides family?
All my freaky friends.
Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 months from now?
Define relationship? I like to think that I have relationships with many people.
Do you drink tea?
Love it. It makes me feel very British.
Have you ever wanted something you couldn't have?
Not since becoming "The Chosen One"
What's the number one thing you want in life right now?
A super secret spy car.
Are you taken?
Where? If it is somewhere good, then yes.
Survey #2
1. What do you think happens after you die? I will be reincarnated as a superior being…no wait, that was last time.
2. What are you supposed to be doing right now? Whatever I want! I am a god at sea!
3. What do you wish you could be doing right now? The Twist
4. Would you marry for money? Depends? Is this someone who is hot, worships the ground I walk on, is uber-good in bed and follows me around buying me shoes? Then absolutely!
5. How long do you spend in the shower? Nuh uh. You aren't going to catch me with that one.
I've seen Psycho!
6. What are you wearing right now? I am naked in my skin.
7. What's the first thing you think about in the morning? Me :D Oh come on, like you don't?
8. And the last thing at night? Wow. It is dark behind my eyelids.
9. What type of toothpaste do you use? The kind with little bubbles….because EVERYTHING is better with bubbles.
10. Have you ever made out with a stranger? Define strange.
11. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I like to think I am an optimist but sometimes I am very pessimistic about that choice.
12. Dominant or submissive? I am submissively dominant or dominantly submissive…take your pick.
13. Do you have psychic powers? Of course. I AM "The Chosen One"
14. If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be? Wouldn't that be cool if you could morph into an animal? But why just one? I want to be a panther and then maybe a dolphin and horse and ooooooh….a dinosaur. Definitely a dinosaur.
15. How often do you work out? The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind.
16. If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and you could only take 3 things, what would you take? My laptop, a solar battery and a wifi tower.
17. What superhero do you most identify with? I'm thinking I am like The Hulk but that is probably because of the green feet.
18. What is the greatest challenge you have ever faced? I laugh in the face of challenge….
Hah!
19. What is the best book you've ever read? That is like picking my favorite family member! Can't be done.
20. What person have you known the longest? Me
21. Would you have sex with someone for a million dollars? What??? I'm thinking!
22. What are you addicted to? You, baby!
23. Do you believe in love at first sight? Well, with all of the men throwing themselves at me declaring their undying love, how could I not?
24. What are your thoughts on true love? It makes the world go round.
25. What magazines do you read most often? Mad Magazine
26. What's the wildest thing you've ever done? I stood in the middle of Central Park naked.
27. Would you rather divulge your deepest, darkest secret or stand naked in the middle of Central Park? I think we have covered this.
28. What is the biggest problem in your life right now? Usually it is boys….or lack thereof.
29. What is your greatest fear? I fear giant spiders attacking the general population and me getting superhero powers and having to fight them.
30. What is your greatest hope? I hope that the Space Shuttle doesn't crash on my house cause that would be a bummer.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Memes of boredom
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
FYI: This is really long but very good so set aside some time to watch the whole thing if you can.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Free e-Books
In celebration of the publication of I SHALL NOT WANT, St. Martin’s Minotaur is offering the first two ebooks of Julia Spencer-Fleming’s A Clare Fergusson / Russ Van Alstyne Mystery series:
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER and A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD.
Click here to sign up to receive.
Promotion ends June 12, 2008, 11:59 p.m. ET.
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER and A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD.
Click here to sign up to receive.
Promotion ends June 12, 2008, 11:59 p.m. ET.
Book Meme
I was thinking of doing Bea's Meme because it is all about books but then I looked at the questions. In true INFJ fashion, I ended up writing paragraphs with all of the additions, exceptions and variables that could be included in each answer. This made it absolutely impossible to match to different pictures so you will just have to use your imagination.
1. Favourite author: In which genre? Which day? Which mood? This is like trying to figure out your favorite family member...impossible!
2. Favourite book: See question #1
3. Favourite poem: "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley
4. Favourite genre: I like everything but have never been able to embrace Horror.
5. Favourite non-fiction category: Egyptian archaeology
6. Favourite book as a child: Preschool: Green Eggs and Ham Grade School: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Black Beauty Tween: Swiss Family Robinson and The Witch of Blackbird Pond Teen: No one favorite but I seem to remember reading a lot of Danielle Steel and Zane Gray during those years.
7. What book are you reading now: A Life of Picasso: The Triumphant Years, 1917-1932 by John Richardson and Beautiful Children by Charles Bock
8. Favourite fictional character: I still like Ramona (of Ramona the Brave fame). I wish I was still that fearless.
9. Worst book you’ve read: Define "read". Do you mean books I have finished or books I have thrown across the room and refused to finish? Do you only mean published books? What about book manuscripts that authors asked for opinions on? Define "worst". Most poorly written? Not to my taste? Most repugnant hero/heroine? Worst editing?
10. A book that changed your life: Every book I have read has changed my life in large and small ways. I developed sympathy and empathy, respect for other cultures and religions, depth and breadth of knowledge, my ability to think critically, my questioning nature...from reading.
11. A movie that is better than the book: Every James Patterson.
12. Most disappointing adaption from a book: Every other movie from a book.
1. Favourite author: In which genre? Which day? Which mood? This is like trying to figure out your favorite family member...impossible!
2. Favourite book: See question #1
3. Favourite poem: "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley
4. Favourite genre: I like everything but have never been able to embrace Horror.
5. Favourite non-fiction category: Egyptian archaeology
6. Favourite book as a child: Preschool: Green Eggs and Ham Grade School: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and Black Beauty Tween: Swiss Family Robinson and The Witch of Blackbird Pond Teen: No one favorite but I seem to remember reading a lot of Danielle Steel and Zane Gray during those years.
7. What book are you reading now: A Life of Picasso: The Triumphant Years, 1917-1932 by John Richardson and Beautiful Children by Charles Bock
8. Favourite fictional character: I still like Ramona (of Ramona the Brave fame). I wish I was still that fearless.
9. Worst book you’ve read: Define "read". Do you mean books I have finished or books I have thrown across the room and refused to finish? Do you only mean published books? What about book manuscripts that authors asked for opinions on? Define "worst". Most poorly written? Not to my taste? Most repugnant hero/heroine? Worst editing?
10. A book that changed your life: Every book I have read has changed my life in large and small ways. I developed sympathy and empathy, respect for other cultures and religions, depth and breadth of knowledge, my ability to think critically, my questioning nature...from reading.
11. A movie that is better than the book: Every James Patterson.
12. Most disappointing adaption from a book: Every other movie from a book.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Cory Doctorow update
Cory Doctorow has just released comic adaptations of his award-winning science fiction stories — Futuristic Tales of the Here and Now. Download here for free or pick up a copy at your local library. Also, his recent young adult fiction novel, Little Brother, is the talk of the young adult librarian world.
And for those of you who think you are too old of YA Fiction...I have met you....remember?
And for those of you who think you are too old of YA Fiction...I have met you....remember?
Friday, June 06, 2008
My creation2
My creation2
Originally uploaded by A Librarian.
The concept:
1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
2. Using only the first page of results, and pick one image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Big Huge Lab's Mosaic Maker to create a mosaic of the picture answers.
The questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food? right now?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. What is one word that describes you?
12. What is your flickr name?
First seen on Average Jane's page.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Robert Asprin
I had been meaning to post about this a couple of weeks ago but have been so busy trying to read my ever expanding list of nominees/suggestions that I haven't had a spare moment to blog. I am still a Twittering fool in part because I can do that on my phone while standing in line at the grocery store and in part, because it is addictive. Right now I am reading a 811 page book about the Mitfords. Next up, the positively tiny 500 pager about Picasso.
Anyway, when I am not reading literary fiction and non-fiction for a book award, I am reading a mixture of mystery, romance, westerns and anything else you can think of, including Science Fiction. My favorite SF are space operas and humorous SF and fantasy. One of my favorite humorous authors was Robert Asprin, who passed away on May 22, 2008. This means that there will be no more Myth Adventures which makes me very sad indeed.
This is a light frothy fun series with a wanna be magician/thief named Skeeve, a demon from Perv named Aahz. Now, anything with a character named Perv is bound to be good but truthfully, the main attraction for me was the clever banter and lord knows, I am a sucker for clever banter. After the June award meeting I may have to take a little break and finish off the last few (or possibly re-read the entire series) to cleanse the palette for my next round of weighty tomes.
Anyway, when I am not reading literary fiction and non-fiction for a book award, I am reading a mixture of mystery, romance, westerns and anything else you can think of, including Science Fiction. My favorite SF are space operas and humorous SF and fantasy. One of my favorite humorous authors was Robert Asprin, who passed away on May 22, 2008. This means that there will be no more Myth Adventures which makes me very sad indeed.
This is a light frothy fun series with a wanna be magician/thief named Skeeve, a demon from Perv named Aahz. Now, anything with a character named Perv is bound to be good but truthfully, the main attraction for me was the clever banter and lord knows, I am a sucker for clever banter. After the June award meeting I may have to take a little break and finish off the last few (or possibly re-read the entire series) to cleanse the palette for my next round of weighty tomes.
Monday, May 26, 2008
The Translator by Daoud Hari
For those of you who have been with me a while, you know that I have been participating in a group that is trying to stop the genocide in the Darfur region. www.savedarfur.com
The Translator is about a young man who, after losing a number of family members in Darfur, risks his life to become a translator and guide for reporters so that the world would know about what was happening in his home. Eventually, he was caught, tortured and eventually rescued by friends. You can tell that English is not Daoud's first language because the book is a little choppy in places and could have used some polishing by a skilled editor. Still, it is a worthwhile read that gives a first-hand account of the atrocities being committed and that tugs the heart-strings and would hopefully radicalize others to get involved.
The Translator is about a young man who, after losing a number of family members in Darfur, risks his life to become a translator and guide for reporters so that the world would know about what was happening in his home. Eventually, he was caught, tortured and eventually rescued by friends. You can tell that English is not Daoud's first language because the book is a little choppy in places and could have used some polishing by a skilled editor. Still, it is a worthwhile read that gives a first-hand account of the atrocities being committed and that tugs the heart-strings and would hopefully radicalize others to get involved.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Last Week's Reads
I have been on a bit of a vacation from blogging this month but I have been reading. I thought I would at the very least, give you a list of titles that I enjoyed. How long this post is depends on how long it takes me to recover from mowing half the yard. I really don't want to go back out there so this may be very long indeed:)
Last Week's Reads:
Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire by Judith Herrin - An attempt to weave together the astonishingly complex history of the Byzantium Empire. It is brilliant but perhaps not as accessible to the non-scholar as the author intended. To be fair, I am not sure how one makes such a complicated subject accessible but she gave it a darn good try.
Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women's Movement by Sally McMillen - excellent look at the powerhouse women who started and guided the women's rights movement in America. I wish I could have met a couple of them or at the very least, heard them speak. They sounded like amazing women.
Liberal Fascism: The Totalitarian Temptation from Mussolini to Hillary Clinton by Jonah Goldberg - This was interesting in an odd way. I found the historical study of fascism fascinating but I am not sure the author really offers convincing evidence that modern liberals are fascists. I do like books that offer a look an opposing viewpoint of my beliefs because it does force me to take a look at the not-so-pretty aspects of "my side" and try to avoid those qualities in my own life.
*Small Favor by Jim Butcher - Number 10 in the Dresden Files series does not disappoint. I'm not sure how much of a mystery was attached to this one but I really enjoy the SF elements of this series and he has managed to keep from getting silly and trite in the series. I like the characters, I enjoy the pyrotechnics and I am always satisfied with Harry and the good guys saving the day.
*not a notable possibility but a just-for-fun break from the serious scholarly work.
I have also joined a couple of new social networking sites and am currently exploring them.
Toluu - http://www.toluu.com/
Bright Kite - http://brightkite.com/
Friend Feed - http://www.friendfeed.com
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ (actually I have been on this one for a while but a bunch of my friends have now joined so it has moved from a pleasant diversion to a serious addiction.)
Ok, time to go finish mowing.
Last Week's Reads:
Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire by Judith Herrin - An attempt to weave together the astonishingly complex history of the Byzantium Empire. It is brilliant but perhaps not as accessible to the non-scholar as the author intended. To be fair, I am not sure how one makes such a complicated subject accessible but she gave it a darn good try.
Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women's Movement by Sally McMillen - excellent look at the powerhouse women who started and guided the women's rights movement in America. I wish I could have met a couple of them or at the very least, heard them speak. They sounded like amazing women.
Liberal Fascism: The Totalitarian Temptation from Mussolini to Hillary Clinton by Jonah Goldberg - This was interesting in an odd way. I found the historical study of fascism fascinating but I am not sure the author really offers convincing evidence that modern liberals are fascists. I do like books that offer a look an opposing viewpoint of my beliefs because it does force me to take a look at the not-so-pretty aspects of "my side" and try to avoid those qualities in my own life.
*Small Favor by Jim Butcher - Number 10 in the Dresden Files series does not disappoint. I'm not sure how much of a mystery was attached to this one but I really enjoy the SF elements of this series and he has managed to keep from getting silly and trite in the series. I like the characters, I enjoy the pyrotechnics and I am always satisfied with Harry and the good guys saving the day.
*not a notable possibility but a just-for-fun break from the serious scholarly work.
I have also joined a couple of new social networking sites and am currently exploring them.
Toluu - http://www.toluu.com/
Bright Kite - http://brightkite.com/
Friend Feed - http://www.friendfeed.com
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ (actually I have been on this one for a while but a bunch of my friends have now joined so it has moved from a pleasant diversion to a serious addiction.)
Ok, time to go finish mowing.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
My stroke of insight ( Jill Bolte Taylor )
If you can't get this to load, use this link: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229
Friday, May 09, 2008
Because it is a lazy day
You Are a Cashew |
 You are laid back, friendly, and easy going. Compared to most people, you have a very mild temperament. You blend in well. You're often the last person to get noticed. But whenever you're gone, people seem to notice right away! |
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Hot Young Adult Novel
SF author Corey Doctorow's newest Young Adult book is getting lots of buzz these days (even among adult readers). If you want to check it out, it is available free for download here - http://craphound.com/littlebrother/download/
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Time Off!
Two more evening/weekend shifts and the semester is over! I will have a whole month off and then we switch to summer hours so I will actually get home before 11:00 pm at night. I am a very happy camper-to-be.
Now, my plan my month off includes the following tasks. I will be making graduation gifts out of duct tape (I found instructions for a whole set of luggage), going to my nephew's graduation, reading and then...wait for it...actually posting witty, entertaining blog posts about the books I am reading. Really! I will!
Or I might nap. It's kind of hard to tell these days.
Now, my plan my month off includes the following tasks. I will be making graduation gifts out of duct tape (I found instructions for a whole set of luggage), going to my nephew's graduation, reading and then...wait for it...actually posting witty, entertaining blog posts about the books I am reading. Really! I will!
Or I might nap. It's kind of hard to tell these days.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Food!
This week my friend and her husband from Switzerland (last seen at Oktoberfest) came to Kansas City to visit. She is one of my bestest friends, a blogger and is a retired librarian. Because I am still in multiple job mode until next week we mainly got together for lunch and dinner. We started on Monday night with one of my favorite restaurants, Lidia's, and I stuffed myself on wine and pasta. On Tuesday we went to lunch at The Classic Cup on the Plaza and had drinks at Mi Cocina (because they can't seem to master the margarita in Switzerland). Today, we finished off with The Thai Place in Westport.
I love my friends and wish they would move back to KC but it probably a good thing they are leaving tomorrow because it is now serious diet time:(
I love my friends and wish they would move back to KC but it probably a good thing they are leaving tomorrow because it is now serious diet time:(
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Names on a Map: A Novel by Benjamin Alire Saenz
I must have a thing for novels set in the 60's this year. First My Revolutions and now Names on a Map: A Novel. Names is the story of one week in 1967 that brings momentous change to the Espejo family. When a draft notice is delivered to the oldest son, Gustavo, he is forced to chose between disappointing his father and following his conscience. Mirroring the turmoil that infects El Paso and the nation, each family member's reaction to this event shapes the story of their lives. The alternating viewpoints give you a complete picture of each family member and the why the decision each makes has such an impact on the character and the family.
Novels written by poets almost always make me happy. I love stopping and looking out the window at the green, sunlit world (assuming it is out there) and thinking about a beautiful turn of phrase or a stunning description. Some days that is really all I need to have a worthwhile day.
Novels written by poets almost always make me happy. I love stopping and looking out the window at the green, sunlit world (assuming it is out there) and thinking about a beautiful turn of phrase or a stunning description. Some days that is really all I need to have a worthwhile day.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Confused????
When I started this blog I did it so I could keep track of my reading for my Notable Committee. When a few people started reading it I felt quite a bit of pressure "to produce" and so started commenting on my life more so the few year was a mixture of book reviews, dating woe stories and rants about dead animals and mowing. Eventually I decided that since people at work read this blog I would move my dating stories and other assorted rants to my myspace page so that people who wanted to read about books wouldn't have that inflicted on them, not to mention the fact that the people at work don't really need to know that much about my dating life...or lack thereof.
But, because it is tradition, I will comment a bit on lawns. Men seem quite enamoured of them and I have learned since purchasing a home that some neighbors care a great deal about them as well. BUT, I don't get it. In a few minutes, I will go to the store and buy a weed and feed fertilizer in order to get my grass to grow...and then I will spend the rest of the summer either watering it to keep it growing or cutting it to keep it from growing too much. Does this make sense to anyone else? Why exactly are we doing this again? There are other plants, many of which are currently scattered throughout my lawn. They are green. Some have pretty flowers. Most don't seem to need any water or food. Why are these bad again?
In other homeowner news, the Roeland Park sustainability committee is having an Earth Day Open House today from 3 -5 pm at Roeland Park City Hall (4600 W 51st St, Roeland Park, KS). There will be information on Rain Gardens (which I have planned on doing for the past few years but can't seem to work up the energy to actually do), recycling and composting. All very good things in my personal opinion. Hope to see you there.
But, because it is tradition, I will comment a bit on lawns. Men seem quite enamoured of them and I have learned since purchasing a home that some neighbors care a great deal about them as well. BUT, I don't get it. In a few minutes, I will go to the store and buy a weed and feed fertilizer in order to get my grass to grow...and then I will spend the rest of the summer either watering it to keep it growing or cutting it to keep it from growing too much. Does this make sense to anyone else? Why exactly are we doing this again? There are other plants, many of which are currently scattered throughout my lawn. They are green. Some have pretty flowers. Most don't seem to need any water or food. Why are these bad again?
In other homeowner news, the Roeland Park sustainability committee is having an Earth Day Open House today from 3 -5 pm at Roeland Park City Hall (4600 W 51st St, Roeland Park, KS). There will be information on Rain Gardens (which I have planned on doing for the past few years but can't seem to work up the energy to actually do), recycling and composting. All very good things in my personal opinion. Hope to see you there.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Librarian T-Shirts
I need a new t-shirt but can't decide which one I should get. Any suggestions?
http://www.unshelved.com/store.aspx?cat=shirts#RA
http://www.unshelved.com/store.aspx?cat=shirts#RA
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Slow post week
I am conducting interviews all week to fill one of my open positions at the library. On the plus side, I have had some really great people interview. On the minus side, I can't give them all jobs.
Sadly, it leaves me little time to post but I will be back soon....I hope.
Sadly, it leaves me little time to post but I will be back soon....I hope.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Favorite Author Alert
I am slowly finding "free" downloadable books for all my favorite authors to post about on here so that you can all be brainwashed into thinking they are great too. Today I want to introduce Kelly Link, one of my favorite new-to-me authors. Stranger Things Happen, a short story collection can be found here (and at the library) in the freebie edition. When you are done with that, don't miss my favorite, Magic for Beginners.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
See I'm Blue...the color of serenity
Your Aura is Blue |
 Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships. The purpose of your life: showing love to other people Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor |
PSA for Australian Public Libraries
I went to the Chevelle concert last night and am now tired (and a little cranky) so I thought I would post a fun little time waster for you all.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Arrrrrrrrgh! This phone posting is
Arrrrrrrrgh!
This phone posting is tricker than I thought. If anyone cares anymore, which is highly doubtful, I am blue...the color of serenity!
This phone posting is tricker than I thought. If anyone cares anymore, which is highly doubtful, I am blue...the color of serenity!
Posting from my phone (because
Posting from my phone (because I am out & about) so tonight it's just the link to my color. www.blogthings.com/whatcolorisyourauraquiz/
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Darfur fundraiser
Concert to benefit the fight against genocide in Darfur featuring Lights and Siren, Distance to Empty, Seedlove, and Brahe
Time: Sunday, April 20 at 7:00 PM
Location:
Beaumont Club (Kansas City, MO)
4050 Pennsylvania AveKansas City, MO 64111
Location:
Beaumont Club (Kansas City, MO)
4050 Pennsylvania AveKansas City, MO 64111
I can't go (work once again interferes with my social life) but I hope some of you will go, support local talent and raise some money for a good cause.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Happy National Library Week to me!
If you want to say Happy National Library Week to me in person come out to the Friends of the Library booksale this Friday and Saturday. Oh, and it is ok to bring me a cookie if you want to:)
My Revolutions: A Novel by Hari Kunzru
Warning! If you have read this author and loved him you may be disappointed because this is nothing like his other work (Well, his use of language is still superb but the plot, etc...is very different.)
Hari Kunzru explores the question of what happens to revolutionary characters after the revolution. In this page turning novel, college student Chris Carver joins the revolution in London which quickly turns terrorist causing him to leave behind his identity and create a new life for himself. Every page infuses fresh life into the often told story of 1960’s idealism and Chris’ need to change the world that abruptly erupts into violence and terrorism.
Hari Kunzru explores the question of what happens to revolutionary characters after the revolution. In this page turning novel, college student Chris Carver joins the revolution in London which quickly turns terrorist causing him to leave behind his identity and create a new life for himself. Every page infuses fresh life into the often told story of 1960’s idealism and Chris’ need to change the world that abruptly erupts into violence and terrorism.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Author Talk
Hang in there until about the 4 minutes mark. It is worth the wait.
If you need more, go to http://authortalk.wordpress.com/
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Duct Tape (repost from my other blog)
Today I continued my quest (in between meetings) to find a fun, easy craft for a library teen program. My problem is that I am not in a crafty mood so everything looks complicated and not very cute. I kept drifting back to the iPod case made out of Duct Tape but then I started to think. What if the teens don't have an iPod? Maybe their parents will only let them get an off brand mp3 player. What if, horror of horrors, they have NO mp3 player of any kind? So I started searching around on the web for something else to have as a back-up craft for those sad pathetic teens and found a whole website dedicated to making things out of Duct Tape. I know, I know. Will the awesomeness of our world never end? To see this magical place, follow the link to Duct Tape Guys.
As I was browsing the site it suddenly dawned on me that my gift purchasing woes are over. (Nephew's High School graduation, Dad's 75th birthday, much angst and trauma buying for boys who have everything) After all, my dad carried the handmade leather wallet I made for him in shop class around for years. I am sure he would love a wallet made out of Duct Tape. Right?
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
The Pulitzer Prizes
The Pulitzer Prizes were announced yesterday, and the winners were:
•Fiction: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (Riverhead Books)
•Drama: August: Osage County by Tracy Letts (Theatre Communications Group)
•History: What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 by Daniel Walker Howe (Oxford University Press)
•Biography: Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson (Norton)
•Poetry: Time and Materials by Robert Hass (Ecco) and Failure by Philip Schultz (Harcourt)
•General Nonfiction: The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945 by Saul Friedlander (HarperCollins)
Monday, April 07, 2008
INFJ
There is this fun little widget on Facebook that lets you take your Myers-Briggs test and then match it to all of your friends (or at least those who took the test). What is interesting is how many of my librarian friends are testing out to be INFJ. Considering it is "the most rare of all personality types" I find that kind of spooky. Not surprisingly (because it is also an INFJ trait to really bond with "our kind") they are some of my favorite people. Apart from the dating thing, I really like being an INFJ. We are a pretty great bunch of people:)
Now, I just have say it, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!
Now, I just have say it, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Word of the Day
pandemonium from Word of the Day
DEFINITION: (noun) A state of extreme confusion and disorder. SYNONYMS: bedlam, chaos, topsy-turvydom. USAGE: Instantly the avenue was a pandemonium of clashing blades, cursing warriors, and squealing throats.
I have planned to start using the word of the day word every day in my blogs so for today's sentence:) This may be the first (and possibly last) time I do this so enjoy it while you can:) The KU game last night resulted in pandemonium at Lucky's Brew Grill.
In other news I read five books this weekend so I should have reviews popping up here and there over the next week or so.
DEFINITION: (noun) A state of extreme confusion and disorder. SYNONYMS: bedlam, chaos, topsy-turvydom. USAGE: Instantly the avenue was a pandemonium of clashing blades, cursing warriors, and squealing throats.
I have planned to start using the word of the day word every day in my blogs so for today's sentence:) This may be the first (and possibly last) time I do this so enjoy it while you can:) The KU game last night resulted in pandemonium at Lucky's Brew Grill.
In other news I read five books this weekend so I should have reviews popping up here and there over the next week or so.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
It's Not You, It's Your Books
It’s Not You, It’s Your Books
By RACHEL DONADIO
Published: March 30, 2008
Some years ago, I was awakened early one morning by a phone call from a friend. She had just broken up with a boyfriend she still loved and was desperate to justify her decision. “Can you believe it!” she shouted into the phone. “He hadn’t even heard of Pushkin!”
Full article behind this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/books/review/Donadio-t.html?ex=1207972800&en=11f8a1024211347e&ei=5070&emc=eta1
By RACHEL DONADIO
Published: March 30, 2008
Some years ago, I was awakened early one morning by a phone call from a friend. She had just broken up with a boyfriend she still loved and was desperate to justify her decision. “Can you believe it!” she shouted into the phone. “He hadn’t even heard of Pushkin!”
Full article behind this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/books/review/Donadio-t.html?ex=1207972800&en=11f8a1024211347e&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Friday, April 04, 2008
Disturbed or Disturbing
You Are Profoundly Disturbing |
 You're weird, freaky, and maybe even a little psycho. You aren't just attracted to darkness - you thrive in it. Your interests are downright creepy, and you may even lack normal human empathy. While there's no harm in enjoying the macabre, remember to keep your vilest thoughts to yourself! |
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Royals Express
Here’s the pitch. Enjoy a relaxing ride to Kauffman Stadium. No traffic stress. Save that energy for the ballgame. No curve balls. You’ll get fast, affordable service saving you time and money.
Catch the Royals Express at a convenient park-and-ride, in front of major Plaza, Crown Center and downtown hotels or at any Metro, MAX, or Stadium Express stop along the route.
Park-and-Rides and Transit Center Stops
Waldo (74th Terr. and Broadway, Gregory and Wornall)
River Market (3rd & Grand)
10th & Main Transit Plaza (on Main, south of 10th St.)
At Kauffman, the Express drops fans off on Royal Way, right at the gate directly behind home plate.
After the final out, Express buses will be waiting on Lancer Lane, along the third base side of the stadium.
$6 Roundtrip
You’ve got a ticket to ride and save. The Royals Express ride saves on gas and stadium parking. Plus, the $6 roundtrip express ticket saves on your game ticket. Simply pay the fare and your Express operator will issue a ticket you can present at the Royals Ticket Window, where you’ll automatically receive $6 off your game ticket.
Offer excludes Opening Day, April 8, and the following series: New York Yankees, April 8-10, St. Louis Cardinals, June 27-29, and Boston Red Sox, August 4-6.
For prerecorded Royals Express information call (816) 346-0348.
Catch the Royals Express at a convenient park-and-ride, in front of major Plaza, Crown Center and downtown hotels or at any Metro, MAX, or Stadium Express stop along the route.
Park-and-Rides and Transit Center Stops
Waldo (74th Terr. and Broadway, Gregory and Wornall)
River Market (3rd & Grand)
10th & Main Transit Plaza (on Main, south of 10th St.)
At Kauffman, the Express drops fans off on Royal Way, right at the gate directly behind home plate.
After the final out, Express buses will be waiting on Lancer Lane, along the third base side of the stadium.
$6 Roundtrip
You’ve got a ticket to ride and save. The Royals Express ride saves on gas and stadium parking. Plus, the $6 roundtrip express ticket saves on your game ticket. Simply pay the fare and your Express operator will issue a ticket you can present at the Royals Ticket Window, where you’ll automatically receive $6 off your game ticket.
Offer excludes Opening Day, April 8, and the following series: New York Yankees, April 8-10, St. Louis Cardinals, June 27-29, and Boston Red Sox, August 4-6.
For prerecorded Royals Express information call (816) 346-0348.
"Thyme for Kids" Annual Plant Sale
Each year at the end of April, Ozanam's "Thyme for Kids" Annual Plant Sale features a variety of plants and flowers grown by the children in our on-campus greenhouse as part of the Horticultural Therapy Program.
This sale is open to the public, and all proceeds benefit the Horticultural Therapy Program at Ozanam. You can find a little bit of everything at the annual plant sale including annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables and more! Click Here for more details and a sample list of available plants.
Mark your calendars for the 2008 "Thyme for Kids" Plant Sale:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 26
Ozanam campus @ 421 E. 137th St. Kansas City, MO 64145
This sale is open to the public, and all proceeds benefit the Horticultural Therapy Program at Ozanam. You can find a little bit of everything at the annual plant sale including annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables and more! Click Here for more details and a sample list of available plants.
Mark your calendars for the 2008 "Thyme for Kids" Plant Sale:
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 26
Ozanam campus @ 421 E. 137th St. Kansas City, MO 64145
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
April Fools!
Top 10 Places To Get Fooled on April 1st -
April Fools Day everyone! http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_10_places_to_get_fooled_on_april_1.php
April Fools Day everyone! http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_10_places_to_get_fooled_on_april_1.php
Monday, March 31, 2008
Movie Meme
Thanks Average Jane for the latest way to goof off at work and yes, because I am bored I picked more than my 15 alloted movies.
Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
Post them on your blog for everyone to guess. Fill in the film title once it’s been guessed.
The Rules
Leave guesses in the comments.
No Googling or using IMDB search functions. Don’t cheat, suckas!
Don't look at the "About Me" section of blogger.
Know-it-alls, limit your guesses to three movies.
Pick 15 of your favorite movies.
Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
Post them on your blog for everyone to guess. Fill in the film title once it’s been guessed.
The Rules
Leave guesses in the comments.
No Googling or using IMDB search functions. Don’t cheat, suckas!
Don't look at the "About Me" section of blogger.
Know-it-alls, limit your guesses to three movies.
The Quotes
- I had two heart attacks, an abortion, did crack... while I was pregnant. Other than that, I'm fine.
- Think anybody fucking touches Johnny Depp's face?
- We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about. (Average Jane - Best of Show)
- I'm the top banana of the shock department!
- How extravagant you are, throwing away women like that. Some day they may be scarce.
- It's like that book I read in the 9th grade that said "'tis a far far better thing doing stuff for other people."
- Highly sexed young men living on farms are always called Seth or Reuben.
- I think it's better to have ideas. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier. (Keith Sader - Dogma)
- Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer! (Keith Sader - Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
- We could call a limo! One of those stretch jobs with the TV and the bar. How about that?
- I'll be right back, take your clothes off.
- You shouldn't hang me on a hook, Johnny. My father hung me on a hook once. Once! (Keith Sader - Johnny Dangerously)
- Yes! Yes! I'm here! My - my chest is constricted! I can't shout! (Average Jane - The Money Pit)
- All I got to do now is find a one-legged nun walking a goat and I win.
- Oh, my life is like death. My children are the spawn of hell, and you're the devil. (BCK - Overboard)
- I would like a nice, powerful, mind-altering substance. Preferably one that will make my unborn children grow gills. (Pinky - Party Girl)
- There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours. (Keith Sader - The Princess Bride)
- I love legal - it's all men!
- He keeps putting his testicles all over me. (Keith Sader - Better Off Dead)
- Are you a lesbian? Leslie says that nine out of ten prostitutes are lesbians.
- This movie was shot in 3B - three beers - and it looks good, eh?
- I hope she didn't hear that. The dead have a way of coming back you know.
- I'm like a bad penny, I always turn up. (Nuke - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)
- You know, I don't think I've got it in me to shoot my flatmate, my mum, and my girlfriend all in the same night. (Average Jane and Keith Sader - Shaun of the Dead)
- She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?
National Poetry Month
I am about halfway through about 10 different books right now so please forgive me for not having any reviews to post. One of these days I am going to be hitting you with tons of books to read....but not today. Since I don't have any book reviews for you I thought I would find you some more free book type offerings.
April is National Poetry Month and I have some lovely podcasts for you to download since it is always satisfying to listen to poetry aloud.
Classic Poetry Aloud
The Poetry Foundation
BBC Poetry Out Loud
The Listening Booth
The Poetry Archive
Cloudy Day Art
Poetry Moment
April is National Poetry Month and I have some lovely podcasts for you to download since it is always satisfying to listen to poetry aloud.
Classic Poetry Aloud
The Poetry Foundation
BBC Poetry Out Loud
The Listening Booth
The Poetry Archive
Cloudy Day Art
Poetry Moment
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The 14th Annual Corporate Spelling Bee to benefit Literacy Kansas City
Cor-por-ate Spell-ing Been. 1. A fun event that supports literacy for adults in the Kansas City area. 2. A chance to enjoy delicious food and beverages, bid on silent and live auction items while expanding your vocabulary. 3. A grueling competition in which teams from area companies and organizations spell tough words until one team is victorious!
Hosted by Ameristar Casino Kansas City in the Star Pavilion
3200 N. Ameristar Drive, Kansas City , MO
3200 N. Ameristar Drive, Kansas City , MO
5:30p.m. Reception and Silent Auction
7:00p.m. The Spelling Begins
Master of Ceremonies: Mark Zieman, Publisher of the Kansas City Star
Tickets: $50 (Certified Literacy Kansas City tutors and their students get a 50% discount)
RSVP to Melissa at 816.333.9332 or http://www.blogger.com/ormcrites@literacykc.org
I have concert tickets for that night and so I need some friends to go and cheer the Books (KC Public Library) and Beer (Boulevard Brewery) team on to victory.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Newest "potential" Notable list
Albert, Elisa - The Book Of Dahlia
Aly, Götz - Into The Tunnel: The Brief Life Of Marion Samuel, 1931-1945
Anam, Tahmima - A Golden Age
Ariely, Dan - Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Attenberg, Jami - The Kept Man
Atwood, Margaret - The Door
Axelrod, Alan - Bradley
Bacon, Charlotte - Split Estate
Bainbridge, David - Beyond The Zonules Of Zinn
Baker, Nicholson - Human Smoke: The Beginnings Of World War II, The End Of Civilization
Barker, Nicola - Darkmans
Barker, Pat - Life Class
Baur, Gene - Farm Sanctuary
Baxter, Charles - The Soul Thief
Bhutto, Benazir - Reconciliation
Bickerton, Derek - Bastard Tongues: A Trailblazing Linguist Finds Clues To Our Common Humanity In The World's Lowliest Languages
Bock, Charles - Beautiful Children
Bowen, Mark - Censoring Science: Inside The Political Attack On Dr. James Hansen And The Truth About Global Warming
Boylan, Jennifer Finney - I'm Looking Through You
Breytenbach, Breyten - Windcatcher: New And Selected Poems, 1964-2006
Bridges, Andrew - Hope's Boy
Brock, Pope - Charlatan
Brooks, Geraldine - People Of The Book
Budiansky, Stephen - Bloody Shirt
Burleigh, Nina - Mirage: Napolean's Scientists And The Unveiling Of Egypt
Carey, Peter - His Illegal Self
Carr, Nicholas - The Big Switch
Carson Ciaran - The Tain
Castaneda, Jorge G. - Ex Mex: From Migrants To Immigrants
Chandhok, Lynn Arati - The View From Zero Bridge
Chang, Ha-Joon - Bad Samaritans: The Myth Of Free Trade And The Secret History Of Capitalism
Charyn, Jerome - Johnny One-Eye: A Tale Of The American Revolution
Childs, Craig - The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters In The Wild
Choi, Susan - A Person Of Interest
Chupack, Edward - Silver: My Own Tale As Written By Me With A Goodly Amount Of Murder
Clift, Eleanor - Two Weeks Of Life: A Memoir Of Love, Death And Politics
Connelly, Matthew - Fatal Misconception: The Struggle To Control World Population
Depastino, Todd - Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee - The Palace Of Illusions
Donovan, James - Terrible Glory:Custer &The Little Bighorn-The Last Great Battle Of The Amwest
Dovey, Ceridwen - Blood Kin
D'Souza, Tony - The Konkans
Dubucheron, Bernard - The Voyage Of The Short Serpent
Epstein, Jennifer Cody - The Painter From Shanghai
Faust, Drew Gilpin - This Republic Of Suffering: Death And The American Civil War
Fradkin, Philip - Wallace Stegner & The American West
Frost, Robert. Edited By Mark Richardson - The Collective Prose Of Robert Frost
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr.
In Search Of Identity: African American Lives
Giddings, Paula J. - Ida: A Sword Among Lions; Ida B. Wells And The Campaign Against Lynching
Gilmore, Glenda Elizabeth - Defying Dixie: The Radical Roots Of Civil Rights, 1919-1950
Goldberg, Jonah - Liberal Fascism: The Totalitarian Temptation From Hegel To Whole Foods
Gordimer, Nadine - Beethoven Was One-Sixteenth Black And Other Stories
Gottlieb, Eli - Now You See Him
Grant, Colin - Negro With A Hat: The Rise And Fall Of Marcus Garvey And His Dream Of Mother Africa
Groff, Lauren - The Monsters Of Templeton
Grossman, Allen - Descartes' Loneliness
Guelzo, Allen C - Lincoln And Douglas: The Debates That Defined America
Haig, Matt - The Labrador Pact
Hall, Amy Laura - Conceiving Parenthood: American Protestantism And The Spirit Of Reproduction
Harrington, Anne - The Cure: A History Of Mind-Body Medicine
Harris, Mark - Pictures At A Revolution: Five Movies And The Birth Of A New Hollywood
Hayes, Bill - Anatomist: A True Story Of Gray's Anatomy
Herrin, Judith - Byzantium: The Surprising Life Of A Medieval Empire
Hill, Geoffrey - A Treatise Of Civil Power
Hill, Lawrence - Someone Knows My Name
Hirsch, Edward - Special Orders
Holm, Bill - The Window Of Brimnes: An American In Iceland
Horsley, Sebastian - Dandy In The Underworld
Howe, Marie - The Kingdom Of Ordinary Time
Iagnemma, Karl - The Expeditions
Irvine, Amy - Trespass: Living At The Edge Of The Promoised Land
Itani, Frances - Remembering The Bones
Jacoby, Susan - The Age Of American Unreason
Jauhar, Sandeep - Intern:A Doctor's Initiation
Johnson, Deborah - The Air Between Us
Jordan, Hillary - Mudbound
Kennedy, A.L. - Day
Kenney, Richard - One-Strand River
Kertesz, Imre - Detective Story
Kertzer, David - Amalia's Tale
Khanna, Parag - Second World: Empires And Influence In The New Global Order
Khoury, Elias - Yalo
Kunzru, Hari - My Revolutions
Lee, Jennifer - The Fortune Cookie Chronicle
Lee, Li-Young - Behind My Eyes
Lesham, Ron - Beaufort
Lewis, Anthony - Freedom For The Thought We Hate
Lewis, David Levering - God's Crucible: Islam And The Making Of Europe, 570-1215
Li, Charles - The Bitter Sea: Coming Of Age In A China Before Mao
Lianke, Yan - Serve The People!
Logsdon, Gene - Last Of The Husbandmen
Lycett, Andrew - The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes
Mackey, Sandra - Mirror Of The Arab World
Marcom, Micheline Aharonian - Draining The Sea
Marks, John - Reasons To Believe
Marrow, James - The Philosopher's Apprentice
Mccall, Nathan - Them: A Novel
Mcmillen, Sally - Seneca Falls And The Origins Of The Woman's Movement
Melnyczuk, Askold - The House Of Widows
Milbank, Dana - Homo Politicus
Millet, Lydia - How The Dead Dream
Millhauser, Stephen - Dangerous Laughter: Thirteen Stories
Mizukami, Tsutomo - The Temple Of The Wild Geese And Bamboo Dolls Of Echizen
Morrison, Rusy - The True Keeps Calm Biding Its Story
Morrow, James - The Philosopher's Apprentice
Nakazawa, Donna Jackson - The Autoimmune Epidemic
Novacek, Michael - Terra: Our 100-Million-Year-Old Ecosystem - And The Treats That Now Put It At Risk
Novak,Sheldon - Henry James
Nussbaum, Martha C. - Liberty Of Conscience: In Defense Of Religious Equality
Ogawa, Yoko - The Diving Pool:Three Novellas
Paley, Grace - Fidelity: Poems
Park, David - The Truth Commissioner
Parks, Tim - Cleaver
Pegg, Mark Gregory - A Most Holy War: The Albigensian Crusade And The Battle For Christendom
Percoco, James - Summers With Lincoln: Looking For The Man In The Monuments
Petersen, Melody - Our Daily Meds
Phillips, Patrick - Boy
Picoult, Jodi - Change Of Heart
Pollan,Michael - In Defense Of Food
Poster, Jem - Courting Shadows
Power, Samatha - Chasing The Flame
Rabinowitz, Alan - Life In The Valley Of Death
Reiff, David - Swimming In A Sea Of Death: A Son's Memoir
Reséndez, Andrés - A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey Of Cabeza De Vaca
Richardson, John - A Life Of Picasso: The Triumphant Years, 1917-1932
Rong, Jiang - Wolf Totem
Russell, Mary Doria - Dreamers Of The Day
Saenz, Benjamin Alire - Names On A Map
Schlink, Bernhard - Homecoming
Schwartz, John Burnham - The Commoner
Sheers, Owen - Resistance
Shnayerson, Michael - Coal River
Shroff, Murzban F. - Breathless In Bombay
Shubin, Neil -Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into The 3.5-Billion-Year History Of The Human Body
Shukman, Henry - The Lost City
Sinha, Indra - Animal's People
Skarmeta, Antonio - Dancer And The Thief
Sonnenberg, Susanna - Her Last Death: A Memoir
Spencer, Scott - Willing
Strafford, David - Endgame, 1945
Stringer, C. Vivian (With Laura Tucker) - Standing Tall: A Memoir Of Tragedy And Triumph
Sullivan, Felicia - Sky Isn't Visible From Here: Scenes From A Life
Suri, Manil - The Age Of Shiva
Taylor, Nick - American Made: The Enduring Legacy Of The WPA
Teicher, Craig Morgan - Brenda Is In The Room & Other Poems
Toltz, Steve - A Fraction Of The Whole
Venkatesh, Sudhir - Gang Leader For A Day
Visotsky, Burton - A Delightful Compendium Of Consolation
Vollman, William - Riding Toward Everywhere
Weinberg, Steve - Taking On The Trust: The Epic Battle Of Ida Tarbell And John D. Rockefeller
Weis, Rene - Shakespeare Unbound: Decoding A Hidden Life
Wicklund, Susan - This Common Secret: My Journey As An Abortion Doctor
Wideman, John Edgar - Fanon
Woiwode, Larry - A Step From Death
Wolff, Tobias - Our Story Begins: New And Selected Stories
Wright, Robin - Dreams And Shadows: The Future Of The Middle East
Young, Sara - My Enemy's Cradle
Zinn, Howard - A People's History Of American Empire
Aly, Götz - Into The Tunnel: The Brief Life Of Marion Samuel, 1931-1945
Anam, Tahmima - A Golden Age
Ariely, Dan - Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Attenberg, Jami - The Kept Man
Atwood, Margaret - The Door
Axelrod, Alan - Bradley
Bacon, Charlotte - Split Estate
Bainbridge, David - Beyond The Zonules Of Zinn
Baker, Nicholson - Human Smoke: The Beginnings Of World War II, The End Of Civilization
Barker, Nicola - Darkmans
Barker, Pat - Life Class
Baur, Gene - Farm Sanctuary
Baxter, Charles - The Soul Thief
Bhutto, Benazir - Reconciliation
Bickerton, Derek - Bastard Tongues: A Trailblazing Linguist Finds Clues To Our Common Humanity In The World's Lowliest Languages
Bock, Charles - Beautiful Children
Bowen, Mark - Censoring Science: Inside The Political Attack On Dr. James Hansen And The Truth About Global Warming
Boylan, Jennifer Finney - I'm Looking Through You
Breytenbach, Breyten - Windcatcher: New And Selected Poems, 1964-2006
Bridges, Andrew - Hope's Boy
Brock, Pope - Charlatan
Brooks, Geraldine - People Of The Book
Budiansky, Stephen - Bloody Shirt
Burleigh, Nina - Mirage: Napolean's Scientists And The Unveiling Of Egypt
Carey, Peter - His Illegal Self
Carr, Nicholas - The Big Switch
Carson Ciaran - The Tain
Castaneda, Jorge G. - Ex Mex: From Migrants To Immigrants
Chandhok, Lynn Arati - The View From Zero Bridge
Chang, Ha-Joon - Bad Samaritans: The Myth Of Free Trade And The Secret History Of Capitalism
Charyn, Jerome - Johnny One-Eye: A Tale Of The American Revolution
Childs, Craig - The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters In The Wild
Choi, Susan - A Person Of Interest
Chupack, Edward - Silver: My Own Tale As Written By Me With A Goodly Amount Of Murder
Clift, Eleanor - Two Weeks Of Life: A Memoir Of Love, Death And Politics
Connelly, Matthew - Fatal Misconception: The Struggle To Control World Population
Depastino, Todd - Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee - The Palace Of Illusions
Donovan, James - Terrible Glory:Custer &The Little Bighorn-The Last Great Battle Of The Amwest
Dovey, Ceridwen - Blood Kin
D'Souza, Tony - The Konkans
Dubucheron, Bernard - The Voyage Of The Short Serpent
Epstein, Jennifer Cody - The Painter From Shanghai
Faust, Drew Gilpin - This Republic Of Suffering: Death And The American Civil War
Fradkin, Philip - Wallace Stegner & The American West
Frost, Robert. Edited By Mark Richardson - The Collective Prose Of Robert Frost
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr.
In Search Of Identity: African American Lives
Giddings, Paula J. - Ida: A Sword Among Lions; Ida B. Wells And The Campaign Against Lynching
Gilmore, Glenda Elizabeth - Defying Dixie: The Radical Roots Of Civil Rights, 1919-1950
Goldberg, Jonah - Liberal Fascism: The Totalitarian Temptation From Hegel To Whole Foods
Gordimer, Nadine - Beethoven Was One-Sixteenth Black And Other Stories
Gottlieb, Eli - Now You See Him
Grant, Colin - Negro With A Hat: The Rise And Fall Of Marcus Garvey And His Dream Of Mother Africa
Groff, Lauren - The Monsters Of Templeton
Grossman, Allen - Descartes' Loneliness
Guelzo, Allen C - Lincoln And Douglas: The Debates That Defined America
Haig, Matt - The Labrador Pact
Hall, Amy Laura - Conceiving Parenthood: American Protestantism And The Spirit Of Reproduction
Harrington, Anne - The Cure: A History Of Mind-Body Medicine
Harris, Mark - Pictures At A Revolution: Five Movies And The Birth Of A New Hollywood
Hayes, Bill - Anatomist: A True Story Of Gray's Anatomy
Herrin, Judith - Byzantium: The Surprising Life Of A Medieval Empire
Hill, Geoffrey - A Treatise Of Civil Power
Hill, Lawrence - Someone Knows My Name
Hirsch, Edward - Special Orders
Holm, Bill - The Window Of Brimnes: An American In Iceland
Horsley, Sebastian - Dandy In The Underworld
Howe, Marie - The Kingdom Of Ordinary Time
Iagnemma, Karl - The Expeditions
Irvine, Amy - Trespass: Living At The Edge Of The Promoised Land
Itani, Frances - Remembering The Bones
Jacoby, Susan - The Age Of American Unreason
Jauhar, Sandeep - Intern:A Doctor's Initiation
Johnson, Deborah - The Air Between Us
Jordan, Hillary - Mudbound
Kennedy, A.L. - Day
Kenney, Richard - One-Strand River
Kertesz, Imre - Detective Story
Kertzer, David - Amalia's Tale
Khanna, Parag - Second World: Empires And Influence In The New Global Order
Khoury, Elias - Yalo
Kunzru, Hari - My Revolutions
Lee, Jennifer - The Fortune Cookie Chronicle
Lee, Li-Young - Behind My Eyes
Lesham, Ron - Beaufort
Lewis, Anthony - Freedom For The Thought We Hate
Lewis, David Levering - God's Crucible: Islam And The Making Of Europe, 570-1215
Li, Charles - The Bitter Sea: Coming Of Age In A China Before Mao
Lianke, Yan - Serve The People!
Logsdon, Gene - Last Of The Husbandmen
Lycett, Andrew - The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes
Mackey, Sandra - Mirror Of The Arab World
Marcom, Micheline Aharonian - Draining The Sea
Marks, John - Reasons To Believe
Marrow, James - The Philosopher's Apprentice
Mccall, Nathan - Them: A Novel
Mcmillen, Sally - Seneca Falls And The Origins Of The Woman's Movement
Melnyczuk, Askold - The House Of Widows
Milbank, Dana - Homo Politicus
Millet, Lydia - How The Dead Dream
Millhauser, Stephen - Dangerous Laughter: Thirteen Stories
Mizukami, Tsutomo - The Temple Of The Wild Geese And Bamboo Dolls Of Echizen
Morrison, Rusy - The True Keeps Calm Biding Its Story
Morrow, James - The Philosopher's Apprentice
Nakazawa, Donna Jackson - The Autoimmune Epidemic
Novacek, Michael - Terra: Our 100-Million-Year-Old Ecosystem - And The Treats That Now Put It At Risk
Novak,Sheldon - Henry James
Nussbaum, Martha C. - Liberty Of Conscience: In Defense Of Religious Equality
Ogawa, Yoko - The Diving Pool:Three Novellas
Paley, Grace - Fidelity: Poems
Park, David - The Truth Commissioner
Parks, Tim - Cleaver
Pegg, Mark Gregory - A Most Holy War: The Albigensian Crusade And The Battle For Christendom
Percoco, James - Summers With Lincoln: Looking For The Man In The Monuments
Petersen, Melody - Our Daily Meds
Phillips, Patrick - Boy
Picoult, Jodi - Change Of Heart
Pollan,Michael - In Defense Of Food
Poster, Jem - Courting Shadows
Power, Samatha - Chasing The Flame
Rabinowitz, Alan - Life In The Valley Of Death
Reiff, David - Swimming In A Sea Of Death: A Son's Memoir
Reséndez, Andrés - A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey Of Cabeza De Vaca
Richardson, John - A Life Of Picasso: The Triumphant Years, 1917-1932
Rong, Jiang - Wolf Totem
Russell, Mary Doria - Dreamers Of The Day
Saenz, Benjamin Alire - Names On A Map
Schlink, Bernhard - Homecoming
Schwartz, John Burnham - The Commoner
Sheers, Owen - Resistance
Shnayerson, Michael - Coal River
Shroff, Murzban F. - Breathless In Bombay
Shubin, Neil -Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into The 3.5-Billion-Year History Of The Human Body
Shukman, Henry - The Lost City
Sinha, Indra - Animal's People
Skarmeta, Antonio - Dancer And The Thief
Sonnenberg, Susanna - Her Last Death: A Memoir
Spencer, Scott - Willing
Strafford, David - Endgame, 1945
Stringer, C. Vivian (With Laura Tucker) - Standing Tall: A Memoir Of Tragedy And Triumph
Sullivan, Felicia - Sky Isn't Visible From Here: Scenes From A Life
Suri, Manil - The Age Of Shiva
Taylor, Nick - American Made: The Enduring Legacy Of The WPA
Teicher, Craig Morgan - Brenda Is In The Room & Other Poems
Toltz, Steve - A Fraction Of The Whole
Venkatesh, Sudhir - Gang Leader For A Day
Visotsky, Burton - A Delightful Compendium Of Consolation
Vollman, William - Riding Toward Everywhere
Weinberg, Steve - Taking On The Trust: The Epic Battle Of Ida Tarbell And John D. Rockefeller
Weis, Rene - Shakespeare Unbound: Decoding A Hidden Life
Wicklund, Susan - This Common Secret: My Journey As An Abortion Doctor
Wideman, John Edgar - Fanon
Woiwode, Larry - A Step From Death
Wolff, Tobias - Our Story Begins: New And Selected Stories
Wright, Robin - Dreams And Shadows: The Future Of The Middle East
Young, Sara - My Enemy's Cradle
Zinn, Howard - A People's History Of American Empire
Friday, March 28, 2008
Muxtape
Last night I played around with a new site that many of my music bloggers are all a twitter about called Muxtape. If you want to go listen to my first tape it is located at http://princessofworld.muxtape.com/
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Last minute free book offer
Audible.com: The Big Listen :: Get a free audiobook until 12 p.m. (ET) tomorrow
Rehashing the Blogger Meet Up
I went to a blogger meet-up last night and as always, was fascinated by the group dynamics of these events. In my normal life I pretty much hang out with librarians. I like librarians. I understand librarians (unless they are men and then there is that dumb as a post thing that happens to me when trying to communicate with them). We think alike, we talk alike and that is a very comfortable place for me to be.
Anyway, what is interesting and challenging about going to the blogger meet-ups is how diverse the group is. You have everything from political to general rants about life bloggers and everything in between. I liked some of the bloggers immediately, others will take a while to get to know and there may be one or two out there that I never warm to. That is what is so interesting about this particular group. I also love how much it changes from meet-up to meet-up depending on who attends.
So in the little group of potential new friends that I got to bond with, we spent time talking about freaky porn (as opposed to regular porn) and yes, trust me, there is a big difference!, trips, books and music. We also talked about all of you who weren’t there and pondered why “you” weren’t at the meet-up. FYI: We miss you guys!
Most of the bloggers seemed just like their blog (maybe a little quieter or louder in person) but overall, just like I pictured them. One blogger, however, who I didn’t have a chance to meet but glimpsed down the table from me, was not how I pictured her at all. I have to say, I admire (and am a little jealous) of her ability to jump into activities in a new town with both feet. Welcome to KC, Keri Oke.
Visit My Spyderweb for the complete list….
Anyway, what is interesting and challenging about going to the blogger meet-ups is how diverse the group is. You have everything from political to general rants about life bloggers and everything in between. I liked some of the bloggers immediately, others will take a while to get to know and there may be one or two out there that I never warm to. That is what is so interesting about this particular group. I also love how much it changes from meet-up to meet-up depending on who attends.
So in the little group of potential new friends that I got to bond with, we spent time talking about freaky porn (as opposed to regular porn) and yes, trust me, there is a big difference!, trips, books and music. We also talked about all of you who weren’t there and pondered why “you” weren’t at the meet-up. FYI: We miss you guys!
Most of the bloggers seemed just like their blog (maybe a little quieter or louder in person) but overall, just like I pictured them. One blogger, however, who I didn’t have a chance to meet but glimpsed down the table from me, was not how I pictured her at all. I have to say, I admire (and am a little jealous) of her ability to jump into activities in a new town with both feet. Welcome to KC, Keri Oke.
Visit My Spyderweb for the complete list….
Monday, March 24, 2008
Neil Gaiman Readalikes
I pulled this off a library listserv to share with you since Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors. These are books that other librarians thought were similar in tone, subject or style to his work.
If you haven't read his work try American Gods for free...
Attanasio, A. A. - Twice Dead Things; Beastmarks
Barker, Clive - Great and Secret Show; Mister B. Gone; Abarat series
Black, Holly - Tithe; Ironside; Valiant (YA titles)
Blaylock, James - Land of Dreams; Last Coin; Night Relics; Winter Tides
Borges, Jorge Luis - The Aleph and other stories; Book of Sand
Brooks, Terry - Running with the Demon; Angel Fire East; A Knight of the Word
Brust, Steven
Bull, Emma - War for the Oaks
Card, Orson Scott - Enchanted
Carey, Mike - The Devil You Know; Lucifer graphic novel series
Carroll, Jonathan - The Land of Laughs; Bones of the Moon
Chabon, Michael - Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Chesterton, G.K. - The Man who was Thursday
Clarke, Susanna - Joanthan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Clarke, Susanna - The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories
Connolly, John - The Book of Lost Things
David, Peter Knight - Life; One Knight Only
Davidson, Avram - The Enquiries of Doctor Esterhazy; Marco Polo and the Sleeping Woman
De Lint, Charles
Dedman, Stephen - Art of Arrow Cutting; Shadows Bite
Dunsany, Lord - The Kind of Elfland's Daughter; The Charwoman's Shadow
Ellis, Warren - Crooked Little Vein
Ellison, Harlan - Deathbird Stories, Shatterday
Goldstein, Lisa - Dark Cities Underground; Walking the Labyrinth; Alchemist's Door
Gory, Edward - Gashlycrumb Tinies
Green, Simon R. - The Man with the Golden Torc
Gruber, Michael - The Witch's Boy Hamill, Pete Forever
Hand, Elizabeth - Black Light; Waking the Moon
Hubbard, Susan - Society of S
Hynes, James - The Lecturer's Tale
Jones , Diana Wynne - Howl's Moving Castle
Kiernan, Caitlin R.
Klages, Ellen - Portable Childhoods
Knight, Damon - Babel II; You're Another
Kotzwinkle, William - The Exile; The Hot Jazz Trio; Doctor Rat
Lafferty, R. A.
Lansdale, Joe R.
Lebbon, Tim
Leiber, Fritz - You're All Alone (aka The Sinful Ones)
Link, Kelly - Magic for Beginners; Stranger Things Happen
Maguire, Gregory - Wicked; Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister; Mirror, Mirror; Lost
McKinley, Robin - Sunshine Mieville, China King Rat; Un Lun Dun
Mignola, Mike and Christopher Golden - Baltimore, or the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire Millar, Martin - The Good Fairies of New York
Monette, Sarah - The Bone Key
Moore, Alan - Promethea
Moore, Christopher Lamb - Fluke; Practical Demon Keeping; Coyote Blue; A Dirty Job Morrison, Grant - Doom Patrol
Nelson, Ray/R. - Faraday Nelson
Newman, Kim Anno - Dracula
Oates, Joyce Carol - Zombie
O'Leary, Patrick - The Impossible Bird
Pollock, Rachel
Powers, Tim - The Anubis Gates; On Stranger Tides; Declare
Pratchett, Terry - Good Omens
Pratt, Tim - The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl; Hart & Boot and other stories
Rankin, Robert - The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse
Redd, David
Russ, Joanna - The Adventures of Alyx
Sedia, Ekaterina - The Secret History of Moscow
Shepard, Lucius
Stross, Charles - The Atrocity Archives
Vance, Jack - The Dying Earth; The Eyes of the Overworld
Vaughn, Brian - K. Y: The Last Man
Wilhelm, Kate - Death Qualified
Willingham, Bill - Fables graphic novel series
Wrede, Patricia - Sorcery and Cecilia: or, the Enchanted Chocolate Pot
Zelazny, Roger
From the Fiction_L listserv
If you haven't read his work try American Gods for free...
 |   Browse Inside this bookGet this for your site |  |
Attanasio, A. A. - Twice Dead Things; Beastmarks
Barker, Clive - Great and Secret Show; Mister B. Gone; Abarat series
Black, Holly - Tithe; Ironside; Valiant (YA titles)
Blaylock, James - Land of Dreams; Last Coin; Night Relics; Winter Tides
Borges, Jorge Luis - The Aleph and other stories; Book of Sand
Brooks, Terry - Running with the Demon; Angel Fire East; A Knight of the Word
Brust, Steven
Bull, Emma - War for the Oaks
Card, Orson Scott - Enchanted
Carey, Mike - The Devil You Know; Lucifer graphic novel series
Carroll, Jonathan - The Land of Laughs; Bones of the Moon
Chabon, Michael - Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Chesterton, G.K. - The Man who was Thursday
Clarke, Susanna - Joanthan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Clarke, Susanna - The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories
Connolly, John - The Book of Lost Things
David, Peter Knight - Life; One Knight Only
Davidson, Avram - The Enquiries of Doctor Esterhazy; Marco Polo and the Sleeping Woman
De Lint, Charles
Dedman, Stephen - Art of Arrow Cutting; Shadows Bite
Dunsany, Lord - The Kind of Elfland's Daughter; The Charwoman's Shadow
Ellis, Warren - Crooked Little Vein
Ellison, Harlan - Deathbird Stories, Shatterday
Goldstein, Lisa - Dark Cities Underground; Walking the Labyrinth; Alchemist's Door
Gory, Edward - Gashlycrumb Tinies
Green, Simon R. - The Man with the Golden Torc
Gruber, Michael - The Witch's Boy Hamill, Pete Forever
Hand, Elizabeth - Black Light; Waking the Moon
Hubbard, Susan - Society of S
Hynes, James - The Lecturer's Tale
Jones , Diana Wynne - Howl's Moving Castle
Kiernan, Caitlin R.
Klages, Ellen - Portable Childhoods
Knight, Damon - Babel II; You're Another
Kotzwinkle, William - The Exile; The Hot Jazz Trio; Doctor Rat
Lafferty, R. A.
Lansdale, Joe R.
Lebbon, Tim
Leiber, Fritz - You're All Alone (aka The Sinful Ones)
Link, Kelly - Magic for Beginners; Stranger Things Happen
Maguire, Gregory - Wicked; Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister; Mirror, Mirror; Lost
McKinley, Robin - Sunshine Mieville, China King Rat; Un Lun Dun
Mignola, Mike and Christopher Golden - Baltimore, or the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire Millar, Martin - The Good Fairies of New York
Monette, Sarah - The Bone Key
Moore, Alan - Promethea
Moore, Christopher Lamb - Fluke; Practical Demon Keeping; Coyote Blue; A Dirty Job Morrison, Grant - Doom Patrol
Nelson, Ray/R. - Faraday Nelson
Newman, Kim Anno - Dracula
Oates, Joyce Carol - Zombie
O'Leary, Patrick - The Impossible Bird
Pollock, Rachel
Powers, Tim - The Anubis Gates; On Stranger Tides; Declare
Pratchett, Terry - Good Omens
Pratt, Tim - The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl; Hart & Boot and other stories
Rankin, Robert - The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse
Redd, David
Russ, Joanna - The Adventures of Alyx
Sedia, Ekaterina - The Secret History of Moscow
Shepard, Lucius
Stross, Charles - The Atrocity Archives
Vance, Jack - The Dying Earth; The Eyes of the Overworld
Vaughn, Brian - K. Y: The Last Man
Wilhelm, Kate - Death Qualified
Willingham, Bill - Fables graphic novel series
Wrede, Patricia - Sorcery and Cecilia: or, the Enchanted Chocolate Pot
Zelazny, Roger
From the Fiction_L listserv
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Blogger Meet Up
It is spring break at the university so no part time job this week!!!! It also means that I can actually attend the blogger meet-up this month. Hope to see you all there.
Wednesday, March 26th
From 5:00 p.m. to ?
Jaywalkers Sports Bar & Grill
3916 Rainbow Blvd. Kansas City, KS
Wednesday, March 26th
From 5:00 p.m. to ?
Jaywalkers Sports Bar & Grill
3916 Rainbow Blvd. Kansas City, KS
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Another little procrastination technique
I saw this on Bea's Weblog and felt the need to take because well, I am a sucker for personality test and because I am supposed to be working on a couple of employee evaluations right now.
My Personality
My Personality
14 | |
38 | |
82 | |
89 | |
76 |
| You rarely get angry and it takes a lot to make you angry, however you are not generally self conscious about yourself. You tend not to talk much and prefer to let others control the activities of groups. You prefer facts over fantasy and are more interested in what is happening in the real word. You find helping other people genuinely rewarding and are generally willing to assist those who are in need. You find that doing things for others is a form of self-fulfillment rather than self-sacrifice, however you are willing to take credit for good things that you do but you don't often talk yourself up much. You take your time when making decisions and will deliberate on all the possible consequences and alternatives. |
PureAwakening Jewelry. |
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
YouTube and the Election
Since I have been lecturing you about getting informed about candidates, I thought I would highlight a source or two for you. Here is YouTube's answer to getting informed about the election.
Barack Obama's YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom
Hillary Clinton's YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/hillaryclintondotcom
John McCain's YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnMcCaindotcom
And finally, another link that posts political commentary, speeches, debates, etc... http://www.youtube.com/youchoose
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Celebrity Book Fight Club
This is kind of fun especially if you have read most of the books because you are on a committee. The "2008 Tournament of Books" sponsored by Powell Books. Oddly enough, I did like both of today's contenders quite a bit but would have never thought of pitting them against each other.
The Remainder - Freaky, weird
On Chesil Beach - Lyrical, poetic
The Remainder - Freaky, weird
On Chesil Beach - Lyrical, poetic
Sunday, March 16, 2008
My Friday night happy hour
I grew up in Western Kansas and there were two things that were (and still are) very important to my father. The first is supporting local business even if it is slightly more expensive (a major concession since he is also a depression baby and a bit of a skinflint) and second, supporting public schools.
So last Friday was a particularly interesting day for me. After work, I headed down to 18th & Vine to attend the 1st anniversary of Viable Third, hosted by local bloggers, Gone Mild and KC Sponge and was intrigued and impressed with the grassroots philosophy of the Viable Third in trying to get people in that district to commit to spend their money in their community. I love this idea which also flows nicely into my "buy locally produced food" philosophy.
The other agenda for the evening was to introduce the blogging community to Airick West who is currently running for a seat on the Kansas City School Board. I don't talk about politics much on this blog although I have very strong opinions about the issues but, what I do talk about and care about (which involves doing some work) is the need for everyone to find out about and research the issues, discover what the candidates stand for and then actually getting off the couch to vote your conscience.
I also care very much about supporting our public school system. Yes, the KCMO public schools are a disaster and yes, I have a great deal of sympathy for parents who pull their children out to attend private schools because they want the best for their children but nothing will get better if everyone in the community doesn't get involved in helping to facilitate change at the neighborhood level. If all of the involved, energetic parents work only with their child's private school, where does that leave the children who are left behind. These are the kids who need to see positive parenting skills and successful adult role models. These are the kids who need room mothers and community members involved in their school. These are the kids that need mentors and friends and fans cheering them on.
Small towns have some really annoying aspects but on the positive side, the entire community revolves around the schools. Everyone in town attends the football games and cheers on the team (no matter how bad they are). Likewise when the drama club puts on a play, everyone attends, even the people who don't have children. So, take a page from those small towns, find out what your neighborhood public school is doing and start supporting one or two of those activities with your time. Go to the art exhibits, attend the basketball games, the bake sales or the community readalongs. If you don't, who will?
So last Friday was a particularly interesting day for me. After work, I headed down to 18th & Vine to attend the 1st anniversary of Viable Third, hosted by local bloggers, Gone Mild and KC Sponge and was intrigued and impressed with the grassroots philosophy of the Viable Third in trying to get people in that district to commit to spend their money in their community. I love this idea which also flows nicely into my "buy locally produced food" philosophy.
The other agenda for the evening was to introduce the blogging community to Airick West who is currently running for a seat on the Kansas City School Board. I don't talk about politics much on this blog although I have very strong opinions about the issues but, what I do talk about and care about (which involves doing some work) is the need for everyone to find out about and research the issues, discover what the candidates stand for and then actually getting off the couch to vote your conscience.
I also care very much about supporting our public school system. Yes, the KCMO public schools are a disaster and yes, I have a great deal of sympathy for parents who pull their children out to attend private schools because they want the best for their children but nothing will get better if everyone in the community doesn't get involved in helping to facilitate change at the neighborhood level. If all of the involved, energetic parents work only with their child's private school, where does that leave the children who are left behind. These are the kids who need to see positive parenting skills and successful adult role models. These are the kids who need room mothers and community members involved in their school. These are the kids that need mentors and friends and fans cheering them on.
Small towns have some really annoying aspects but on the positive side, the entire community revolves around the schools. Everyone in town attends the football games and cheers on the team (no matter how bad they are). Likewise when the drama club puts on a play, everyone attends, even the people who don't have children. So, take a page from those small towns, find out what your neighborhood public school is doing and start supporting one or two of those activities with your time. Go to the art exhibits, attend the basketball games, the bake sales or the community readalongs. If you don't, who will?
Friday, March 14, 2008
Huh....
I am 64% Evil Genius.
Evil courses through my blood. Lies and deceit motivate my evil deeds. Crushing the weaklings and idiots that do nothing but interfere in my doings. Since I am a librarian and we all know that librarians are all about world domination, I thought my score would be higher.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Bloggers and blogging
Today was super busy at work so it wasn't until about 8 p.m. tonight that I had a chance to check my Google Reader account, which I love almost as much as my phone. And not to go off on a tangent but...For those of you who use Blogger, PLEASE change your feed settings to full so that the whole blog post feeds into my reader. 99% of the time I don't go to your blog to see the rest of the post, I just skip it.
Anyway, after a whole day of getting a lot of email from some very odd people (not naming any names here) I look at my reader account and have 412 blog posts to read. May I just say...Damn, you people talk a lot!
Anyway, after a whole day of getting a lot of email from some very odd people (not naming any names here) I look at my reader account and have 412 blog posts to read. May I just say...Damn, you people talk a lot!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Free Books: Part 235 and a Plea for Help
Free digital books for you SF fans.
By the way, I am planning the teen programming for this summer at the library and the hot trend in libraries is gaming nights. Since the only game I have played that I actually liked was Rock Band I need help. I do have a Playstation and can borrow a Wii (I think). Any relevant suggestions are welcome. In fact, you can consider this begging....
By the way, I am planning the teen programming for this summer at the library and the hot trend in libraries is gaming nights. Since the only game I have played that I actually liked was Rock Band I need help. I do have a Playstation and can borrow a Wii (I think). Any relevant suggestions are welcome. In fact, you can consider this begging....
Monday, March 10, 2008
Emergency Book Stash
Today I downloaded a couple of e-books to my Trio in the (highly unlikely) event that I get trapped in an elevator/warehouse/fall down a mine shaft, without anything to read. Today I visited the Project Gutenberg site and picked The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins and Notes From The Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I really wanted something by Rainer Maria Rilke or Saul Bellows but they didn't seem to have anything by those authors.
So, to answer your question, yes...I really am this big of a dork.
So, to answer your question, yes...I really am this big of a dork.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
A Free Life and Liberty of Conscience: In Defense of America's Tradition of Religious Equality
Before I started reading for my book award committee, I pretty consistently would read one book at a time. Now I always seem to have three or four books going at once. Right now, I am reading two. One is A Free Life by Ha Jin and the other is Liberty of Conscience: In Defense of America's Tradition of Religious Equality by Martha Nussbaum.
A Free Life has been an interesting book by Ha Jin. This is the story about a Chinese couple who come to the United States in search of a better life for themselves and their child. I have been enjoying it very much in spite of the fact that I have spent most of the book wanting to smack the main character for his utter determination to be as unhappy as possible. The moments in the book that I find myself still thinking about are the interactions with others, and most particularly with a white couple adopting a Chinese baby. As with several couples I know personally, this couple is determined to make sure that their child grows up knowing all about her cultural heritage. What I found funny in this book was the way the Chinese couple reacted to this. They were politely baffled. Why, they ask, would the couple do this when their child would be growing up as an American. I still think Waiting is Ha Jin's best book but I do recommend this one as well.
The author of Liberty of Conscience is one of those books that (so far) has been a joy to read because it so closely echoes my own beliefs and ideas about what the separation of church and state (not to mention religious freedom) is all about. The author has presented her thoughts and ideas in a clear, scholarly way that argues for the founding fathers intention to build a country that "respects the preciousness and dignity of the individual human conscience and the equality of all religions (or lack of religion)". In other words, the right of every individual to follow his own path, to pursue spirituality (or lack thereof) it his own way. The author revisits every major defining moment of our country and shows that it was founded with very clear protections and ideas about the separation of church and state for the protection of BOTH entities and also makes an excellent case for why protecting those boundaries is so important to the health of each entity.
I really believe in these principles but of course, I still struggle with some of the more day-to-day practical issues. For example, a friend was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and it did an enormous amount of damage with regard to her ability to follow her own path and discover her own religious truths. How does governmental non-intervention respond to these kinds of issues and where do we draw the line?
Who knows, I haven't quite finished the book yet so maybe the author will manage to address these issues as well and answer my questions in a satisfactory way.
A Free Life has been an interesting book by Ha Jin. This is the story about a Chinese couple who come to the United States in search of a better life for themselves and their child. I have been enjoying it very much in spite of the fact that I have spent most of the book wanting to smack the main character for his utter determination to be as unhappy as possible. The moments in the book that I find myself still thinking about are the interactions with others, and most particularly with a white couple adopting a Chinese baby. As with several couples I know personally, this couple is determined to make sure that their child grows up knowing all about her cultural heritage. What I found funny in this book was the way the Chinese couple reacted to this. They were politely baffled. Why, they ask, would the couple do this when their child would be growing up as an American. I still think Waiting is Ha Jin's best book but I do recommend this one as well.
The author of Liberty of Conscience is one of those books that (so far) has been a joy to read because it so closely echoes my own beliefs and ideas about what the separation of church and state (not to mention religious freedom) is all about. The author has presented her thoughts and ideas in a clear, scholarly way that argues for the founding fathers intention to build a country that "respects the preciousness and dignity of the individual human conscience and the equality of all religions (or lack of religion)". In other words, the right of every individual to follow his own path, to pursue spirituality (or lack thereof) it his own way. The author revisits every major defining moment of our country and shows that it was founded with very clear protections and ideas about the separation of church and state for the protection of BOTH entities and also makes an excellent case for why protecting those boundaries is so important to the health of each entity.
I really believe in these principles but of course, I still struggle with some of the more day-to-day practical issues. For example, a friend was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and it did an enormous amount of damage with regard to her ability to follow her own path and discover her own religious truths. How does governmental non-intervention respond to these kinds of issues and where do we draw the line?
Who knows, I haven't quite finished the book yet so maybe the author will manage to address these issues as well and answer my questions in a satisfactory way.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Call for Youth Activitists
The Summit on Immigration & Racism needs youth voices!
Saturday, March 8th, 2008
Youth Activism Workshop from 11:30a.m.—12:30p.m.
Cristo Rey High School
211 W. Linwood KC MO 64111
Youth can attend this workshop for FREE
We need young people who are willing to sit on a panel and discuss their activist work and we need folks (young & old) to participate in the workshop!!!
If you . . .
Are a younger activist (13 - 35 years old) fighting racism
Know a younger activist who is fighting racism
Want to become a young person fighting racism
Are an older activist interested in want young folks are doing
Want more info about this workshop
Contact Ellen ASAP at 510-331-0370 or ellenritch@yahoo.com
Saturday, March 8th, 2008
Youth Activism Workshop from 11:30a.m.—12:30p.m.
Cristo Rey High School
211 W. Linwood KC MO 64111
Youth can attend this workshop for FREE
We need young people who are willing to sit on a panel and discuss their activist work and we need folks (young & old) to participate in the workshop!!!
If you . . .
Are a younger activist (13 - 35 years old) fighting racism
Know a younger activist who is fighting racism
Want to become a young person fighting racism
Are an older activist interested in want young folks are doing
Want more info about this workshop
Contact Ellen ASAP at 510-331-0370 or ellenritch@yahoo.com
Thursday, March 06, 2008
More e-books to "try before you buy"
U.K. novelist Richard Herley, whose book The Stone Arrow won a regional novel award called the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize, is offering initially free downloads of Arrow, The Flint Lord, The Earth Goddess, The Penal Colony, The Tide Mill and a collection of all the books.
You can also catch up with his "free to copy" works—in .epub, Mobipocket/Kindle, PDF and Sony formats—via Feedbooks. There’s no hitch other than his reasonable request to happy readers to pay him as if the books were shareware. The charge for these CC-licensed titles is "between $1.70 and $2.50, according to length."
From TeleRead: Bringing the E-Book Home
You can also catch up with his "free to copy" works—in .epub, Mobipocket/Kindle, PDF and Sony formats—via Feedbooks. There’s no hitch other than his reasonable request to happy readers to pay him as if the books were shareware. The charge for these CC-licensed titles is "between $1.70 and $2.50, according to length."
From TeleRead: Bringing the E-Book Home
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Candle Salad
I found this on another librarians blog because apparently we are all a little bent.
Oh come on, like you didn't think it too.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Not that I am goofing off at work or anything....
You Belong in London |
 You belong in London, but you belong in many cities... Hong Kong, San Francisco, Sidney. You fit in almost anywhere. And London is diverse and international enough to satisfy many of your tastes. From curry to Shakespeare, London (almost) has it all! |
The Human Body
With all of the interest/debate about the Bodies Revealed exhibit, I thought I would provide yet another way to learn about the human body. The website, Visible Body, is an interactive web animation tool that lets users explore the human anatomy and all its various systems. (FYI: It works best with Internet Explorer/Windows)
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Warren Ellis
I have been on a graphic novel reading kick and yes, I know it isn't on my first round of award potentials reading list. A current favorite of mine is Warren Ellis who wrote the incredible
Transmetropolitan series. Anyway, over the weekend I finished up his new novel (no pictures, just words in this one) Crooked Little Vein. The book is a noir detective novel in which the main character, in search of a rare book, meets many strange and perverted characters. Because I read this book I now know several words I did not know before. Unfortunately, because I am a librarian and I just have know things, I made the mistake of looking them up and I now know more about the kinky porn industry that I really wanted to know. (FYI: apparently the drinking of urine is considered erotic in some circles.)
If you can handle the kink and like noir detective novels it was kind of a fun book.
Transmetropolitan series. Anyway, over the weekend I finished up his new novel (no pictures, just words in this one) Crooked Little Vein. The book is a noir detective novel in which the main character, in search of a rare book, meets many strange and perverted characters. Because I read this book I now know several words I did not know before. Unfortunately, because I am a librarian and I just have know things, I made the mistake of looking them up and I now know more about the kinky porn industry that I really wanted to know. (FYI: apparently the drinking of urine is considered erotic in some circles.)
If you can handle the kink and like noir detective novels it was kind of a fun book.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Free Book
Random House is giving away free PDFs of Beautiful Children, the much-talked-about bestseller by Charles Brock, at least through midnight on Friday and here is the download address or An Amazon page works fine—scroll down for the download link.
The Oscars - Repost from myspace blog
This weekend was movie weekend...well, except for Friday night when I won free tickets to the Mystery Train Dinner Theater. Fun, free and tasty...All that and Janet for company! How much better can an evening get?
On Saturday, bunches of people flocked to AMC theaters to watch all of the Oscar Best Picture nominees. And yes, that is a whopping 12 hours of movie watching. My least favorite movie was a tie between Michael Clayton and If There Be Blood. They were "egh" movies, not horrible, but not fabulous. I liked Atonement, especially the cinematography. There were some incredibly beautiful shots and a truly great sex scene, oddly enough with no nudity.
Juno was my happy movie and boy, did I need it after those three movies. I loved it and would sit through it again. The last was No Country For Old Men. Wow! It really had one of the best psycho hit-men I can remember seeing in a while. When I was driving home from the theater I kept looking at the people in other cars to see if there were any psycho hit-men/killers driving by. The ending was a tad weak but I really liked this move and NEVER want to see it again. It creeped me out big time! If it weren't for the fact that I was then traumatized by reading gonemild's blog entry when I got home that night, it would have been a perfect day.
Sunday was tiara day...ok, it was actually my Oscar/Kaite's Birthday month party but much tiara wearing occurred. See...
I even had a few brave boys venture out with their ladies to attend. Well, it may not have just been the thrill of being with Ms Spyder but the lure of free books that got Kanga to a tiara wearing party. We trashed gowns, kept my friend Sheryl (from the librarian friend pool) busy making every flavor of martini known to man AND we had birthday cake. I didn't do very well guessing which movies would win but I had to many martinis to care. Ahhh, martinis and movies...does life get any better than this?
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Another bookstore
I am not buying too many books these days but for those of you that are here is a interesting new online vendor to try that doesn’t charge shipping for US addresses.
BetterWorld.com (http://www.BetterWorld.com/). They seem to have a good selection of books—used and new and both youth and adult. Their proceeds apparently go to fund literacy efforts.
BetterWorld.com (http://www.BetterWorld.com/). They seem to have a good selection of books—used and new and both youth and adult. Their proceeds apparently go to fund literacy efforts.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Almost Back to the Reading
We have just compiled our first list of Notable Books Council suggestions for the upcoming year. Because I am the vice-chair of the committee this year I have the added responsibility of trying to make sure that "significant" titles do not get overlooked. Therefore, my suggestion list for February had 18 titles on it. I sincerely hope every month doesn't look like that or I will have no life this year (as opposed to the last two years when I would have brief glimpses of life from time-to-time).
Instead of starting on my self-imposed reading assignments I have instead been working my way through the Jim Butcher Dresden series. The Dresden series is set in Chicago and features wizard Harry Dresden and has been turned into a TV series on the Sci-Fi Channel. For once, I am not merely procrastinating but instead have a valid, work-related reason for reading his books. We (and by that I mean the Public Affairs department) are talking with him about visiting Kansas City and appearing at my branch to kick off our Mystery Author series, not to mention his newest novel. Of course, with a publicist and agent involved, negotiations are still in progress but I am optimistic enough that I have ordered his complete set of mysteries for the branch and am now working my way through them.
Instead of starting on my self-imposed reading assignments I have instead been working my way through the Jim Butcher Dresden series. The Dresden series is set in Chicago and features wizard Harry Dresden and has been turned into a TV series on the Sci-Fi Channel. For once, I am not merely procrastinating but instead have a valid, work-related reason for reading his books. We (and by that I mean the Public Affairs department) are talking with him about visiting Kansas City and appearing at my branch to kick off our Mystery Author series, not to mention his newest novel. Of course, with a publicist and agent involved, negotiations are still in progress but I am optimistic enough that I have ordered his complete set of mysteries for the branch and am now working my way through them.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Seven Things About Me meme
Average Jane has tagged me for a Seven Things About You meme and I'm finally well enough to lift my laptop out of the case and turn it on.
1. Wine or beer - Wine - actually I like both but today feels like a wine day.
2. Dog or cat - Cat
3. Mountains or ocean - Ocean
4. Coffee or tea - Tea
5. NYC or LA - NOLA - Yes I am aware that is not one of the choices but I don't care.
6. Summer or Winter - Summer
7. PJs or nothing - nothing
1. Wine or beer - Wine - actually I like both but today feels like a wine day.
2. Dog or cat - Cat
3. Mountains or ocean - Ocean
4. Coffee or tea - Tea
5. NYC or LA - NOLA - Yes I am aware that is not one of the choices but I don't care.
6. Summer or Winter - Summer
7. PJs or nothing - nothing
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Average Jane tagged me today
Average Jane tagged me today but it will have to wait. I have now caught the plague (because I have to do what all the other bloggers are doing)
Monday, February 11, 2008
Phyllis A. Whitney Dies At Age 104
Phyllis A. Whitney, one of the queens of romance and mystery fiction, passed away this week at the age of 104—perhaps confirming that doing what one loves can lead to a long life. Whitney herself said that she stayed young by writing, and published her last book in 1997 when she was in her early 90s! In her early years, she worked at the Chicago Public Library and several different Chicago bookstores while writing on the side. She divorced her first husband in part because he was not supportive of her writing. She said that she was successful in writing because of persistence and faith in her own abilities—even in the face of ridicule. (Take heart, all you romance writers.) For more, click here for the New York Times story.
She and Victoria Holt were two of my favorites when I was a teen.
She and Victoria Holt were two of my favorites when I was a teen.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Friday Fun
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Which Discworld Character are you like (with pics) created with QuizFarm.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| You scored as Carrot Ironfounderson You are Captain Carrot Ironfounderson of the City Watch in the greatest city on the Disc – Ankh-Morprok! A truly good natured, honest guy, who knows everyone, and is liked by all. Technically a dwarf, but only by adoption. You’d rather not be reminded that you are the true heir to the throne, but that does explain why people naturally follow your orders…
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Librarians
Asylum's Top 10 Occupations Inaccurately Associated With Sexiness
What to guess who appears on the list? My question is, how did they collect this data. Did they approach each and every librarian with a suitably hot guy and see how they reacted or are they just guessing? Just wondering because I cannot ever recall choosing a date based on his understanding of the Dewey Decimal system.
What to guess who appears on the list? My question is, how did they collect this data. Did they approach each and every librarian with a suitably hot guy and see how they reacted or are they just guessing? Just wondering because I cannot ever recall choosing a date based on his understanding of the Dewey Decimal system.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Calling all book group members!
Librarians know you like to talk about books, but we want you to talk to us about your book group. Please help us get a picture of book groups across the country by participating in a short informal survey from the Readers’ Advisory Committee of the American Library Association.
To visit the survey, go to http://www.readersadvisory.org
Click on the link on the left that says “Book Group Survey”
Preliminary data will be presented at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA at the program "Reading Group Therapy: How to Repair, Revamp and Revitalize Your Book Group". This program will be presented by book group expert Nancy Peal, and is being held Sunday, June 29th, 2008, from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
As librarians are trying to get as broad a picture as possible of the book groups in America, please pass the link to the survey along to other book group members and book group support organizations in your community.
To visit the survey, go to http://www.readersadvisory.org
Click on the link on the left that says “Book Group Survey”
Preliminary data will be presented at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA at the program "Reading Group Therapy: How to Repair, Revamp and Revitalize Your Book Group". This program will be presented by book group expert Nancy Peal, and is being held Sunday, June 29th, 2008, from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
As librarians are trying to get as broad a picture as possible of the book groups in America, please pass the link to the survey along to other book group members and book group support organizations in your community.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
McSweeneys
If you like "literary" cutting edge new literature you may want to check out McSweeneys to find out about new authors. I purchased the periodical for the library so you can stop by and read a couple of issues anytime.
You can also subscribe to the feed to get literature delivered to electronically. http://feeds.feedburner.com/mcsweeneys Don't you just love technology?
Added 2/6 @ 4:23 pm - http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2008/2/6klee.html - my favorite so far (at least for today)
You can also subscribe to the feed to get literature delivered to electronically. http://feeds.feedburner.com/mcsweeneys Don't you just love technology?
Added 2/6 @ 4:23 pm - http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2008/2/6klee.html - my favorite so far (at least for today)
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
More cool stuff that kinda, sorta has to do with books.
Philosophers and Theorists: Videos and video clips of lectures, sessions, and interviews at European Graduate School EGS, Media and Communication Studies Department, Saas-Fee, Switzerland, Europe. This includes talks by some very important theorists/philosophers of the past generation.
FORA.tv: FORA.tv is a web service that hosts videos featuring important thinkers grappling with contemporary cultural, social and political questions. And they have author presentations as well so that ties in to my book theme nicely!
FORA.tv: FORA.tv is a web service that hosts videos featuring important thinkers grappling with contemporary cultural, social and political questions. And they have author presentations as well so that ties in to my book theme nicely!
Voting
Alright everyone, I got up at 4 am this morning to come and open up the library for the elections. The least you can do is stop in and vote.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Book Meme
Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pgs.)
2. Open the book to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people
As luck would have it, the nearest book to me is The Book of Dave by Will Self which has the longest sentences I have seen in a while. In the interest of keeping this readable I grabbed the book that was 2nd closest to me, Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. Sentences six, seven, and eight on page 123 are as follows:
Collette Turbot went and found it was just her and Dunwoody.
He told her to pose topless in his darkroom so he could photograph her.
Collette Turbot said, I don't think so , sir.
If others want to do it, it always fun to see what people are reading.
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pgs.)
2. Open the book to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people
As luck would have it, the nearest book to me is The Book of Dave by Will Self which has the longest sentences I have seen in a while. In the interest of keeping this readable I grabbed the book that was 2nd closest to me, Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. Sentences six, seven, and eight on page 123 are as follows:
Collette Turbot went and found it was just her and Dunwoody.
He told her to pose topless in his darkroom so he could photograph her.
Collette Turbot said, I don't think so , sir.
If others want to do it, it always fun to see what people are reading.
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